Highlights of Myanmar | Yangon
An Antipodean travel company serving World Travellers since 1983
‘s most notable structure is the gold plated stupa of the Shwedagon Paya, () one of Buddhism’s most sacred sites. The stupa, which still dominates the landscape of , was said to have been built from the 6th to the 10th centuries.
A village called “Dagon” was built in the area in the 11th century until it was captured by King Alaungpaya in 1755. The founder of the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty, Alaungpaya renamed the village “Yangon”, which means “end of strife”, and built a grand city in its place. The city was destroyed by fire after the First Anglo-Burmese War, and was captured by the British in the second war, renaming it “Rangoon”. It became the capital and major port of , and the buildings were built during this period as the was re-designed by British engineers as a grid.
The Buddhist shrine housed in the 100-metre central stupa of the Shwedagon Paya is believed to hold strands of the Buddha’s hair. The Shwedagon Pagoda is adorned with gold and precious stones, and is believed to be worth US$3 billion on its own. The 114-acre complex features four entryways to the place of worship. The way to the western entrance–the grandest–is paved with shops where you can peruse (and purchase) antiques, toys, herbal remedies and souvenirs. The golden structure reminiscent of Yangon’s glamorous past looks enthralling in sunlight, so guests are invited to see it during sunrise or sunset.
For the in the most important shrine in .
Other places of interest in include the , which is not far from Shwedagon Paya. Here in you can take a stroll on the boardwalk-though be careful as some boards are rickety around the ! occupies a traffic circle in the centre of , an ancient golden that can be surprising to see right in the middle of traffic. Also in close to the is the Chauk-htat-gyi houses a 66-metre -definitely a sight to see. The contemporary and the from are best admired on a of central and .
